“Since Apple’s Sneak Peek of Final Cut Pro X, the questions have been flying around the Internet. Well, here’s concise answers to those questions – as many as I could find, so settle in and learn what’s new and what’s not there yet,” Philip Hodgetts blogs.

Can I import a Final Cut Pro 7 (or 6) project?
As of Version 1 and today’s release there is no direct import capability for legacy projects. My understanding is that there will be an Apple-provided utility for importing XML from older projects to Final Cut Pro X. However, my advice would remain: do not update software mid way through a project, unless there’s a very, very compelling reason.

What about three point editing?
Three point editing is fully supported with all the “from head”, “to tail” options we’ve been used to. Three point editing is highlighted in the manual as a key feature. Like in Final Cut Pro 7 three point editing is not compulsory!

Does Final Cut Pro X support Multicam/Multicamera switching?
At the initial release of version 1, Final Cut Pro X does not have a multicamera editing feature, a.k.a. multicam. I was told that Apple have, with Final Cut Pro X, been re-examining everything to work out how to reimagine and improve it. Multicam will come in a future release, when Apple decide how best to implement it within the new application and architecture.

The outrage is PROFESSIONALS who need a professional tool just got handed a dumbed down toy for the masses. First the x serve, now final cut, apple is abandoning the pro market for itoys. Flame away biotches

Actually I read one of the reviews, and the article in the other thread on FCPX, Some of the “Tools” that Pros are bitching about… Needed more time to update to the new version. It’s coming, just wasn’t ready at launch. Expect them soon.
And other things were moved and hidden, uncheck some feature… and the old stuff appears.

Granted, I am by no means a “Pro” with FCP…

With XServe, Sadly they were not selling well. And there are Rumors that the new Mac Pro’s will be rack mountables. Or at least one version.
I want an X Serve, but even a used one is beyond my budget. But a Mac Pro rack mount? hmmmm

If this is the case, they should have said so from the beginning. Also, we need to know roughly when the corrections will be included. We’re already researching AVID and Premiere Pro. I’ve got FCP X to become familiar with in in the hopes that the missing features will be coming, but I can’t wait forever. (Forever being 8 or 12 months?)

Respectfully, you’re not a pro, so you’re not familiar with the editing process that extends far beyond the central editing program. There are aspects to the process this program doesn’t support, so the changes in this segment of the workflow is irrelevant. For pros, these features aren’t convenient, they are necessary. Add to that the fact that FCP 7 will no longer be supported (updates, etc.) and our editing suite that does what we need will eventually become unusable. So if Apple doesn’t update FCP X with these necessary features, we’ll be forced to move to another editor, and the marketing point “8 Years of Experience with Final Cut” is gone. That matters to us. For those that don’t make their living with FCP, take a second to think about this before calling us bitchy.

“Professional editors should (1) learn to tell what’s really missing from what’s just been moved around, (2) recognize that there’s no obligation to switch from the old program yet, (3) monitor the progress of FCP X and its ecosystem, and especially (4) be willing to consider that a radical new design may be unfamiliar, but may, in the long term, actually be better.”

Pogue clearly needs to learn what it means to be a professional film editor… something he, by his own admission, is not. When the Apple fan crowd hears professional people criticize FCPX, there’s an old saying they ought to keep in mind… the one about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.

That said… I’m getting a feeling of deja vu about all this.

Reading all the film pros criticisms of FCPX is reminiscent of the kind of talk I heard from “traditionalists” in the graphic design and publishing when they talked about computers and desktop publishing back in the late 80’s. I lost track of the number of people who told me they were going to retire or quit if they had to use a computer.

The upheaval of the publishing world today is attributable, not just to the rise of the internet, but to the desktop publishing revolution which preceded it 20+ years ago. The PC and desktop publishing allowed anyone to become a publisher… including many who shouldn’t have.

I suspect the world of big media entertainment (TV and movies) is in for a similar upheaval to those currently entrenched in the creative areas.

Only I doubt it will take twenty years… it’ll probably be here in less than a decade.

There’s a lot of David Pogue bashing going on over his article. David called Apple and passed on what Apple said. Many others have not done that. Stop shooting the messenger. David has been polite and professional in responding to attacks on him that should rightly be directed towards Apple. He is generally very positive towards Apple and we should remember that. For me, I am grateful for his efforts in the FCPX article. Go after the issues, not the messenger.

David (and other Apple boosters) keep saying there’s no obligation to switch. This is true, but you cannot BUY into the useful version (v7) anymore. So for anyone starting an edit shop or expanding one right now, Apple doesn’t have a product for them.

This is a sudden, unannounced discontinuation or suspension of their Pro Apps line. That’s what has users upset.

With FCPX seemingly such a huge shift in organization, thinking, and functionality, why in the world would someone who depends on FCP for their business upgrade immediately? Wait a month or two, let others do the testing for you, and most importantly, see if there are any significant bugs that can endanger your work.

I seriously doubt there is anything in FCPX that requires an immediate upgrade so you can do your work. Give it some time, or buy it and run it strictly to test the abilities and learn the new layout.

Plain & simple, for those of us who work in a multi-user environment FCPX is useless. We often need to restore FCP 6 & 7 projects for revisions; there is no way to do it in FCPX.

We do not work alone; we collaborate. We revise projects begun by others.

It doesn’t matter if I can’t put files where I specifically want to or I can’t arrange the audio tracks where I want to. Change is not the issue; I can learn new keystrokes and new workflows but Apple has removed functionality from FCP. Until it’s restored we’re looking at other options.

FCP7 works fine now and we’ll continue to use it for the time being. But Premier is looking better with each release.

So can any of my fellow Video professionals out there tell me when exactly did they start using FCP? Was on day one of V1?

I know that I sure did not, but as it developed I adapted to it and it’s been a mainstay for a decade…. But on day one it looked strange compared to the standard of the day.

When FCP first came out just as many professionals hated it. Many of the same self proclaimed FCP professionals now who are so vocally repeating history.

This has all been said before and yet the vile upstart Apple fundamentally changed how we make a living today becoming a beloved and powerful tool….. Just not in FCP V1.

FCP V1 was the beginning of a whole new Platform we all learned to adopt and make money with.

This new upstart from Apple is no different…X V1 is a much better start….. Like it’s game changing ancestor FCP , FCPX will evolve and grow into a much more powerful and useful tool, causing all of us who make a living in video to do the same.

The history of NLE teaches us many things…… Just ask yourself ” what was I using before FCP?” If you compare the two and your own personal evolution up till now you may be surprised.

How many times have you had to ” Think Different ” to evolve and survive?

Very similar to what they have done with QuickTime. When Lion rolls out, we should see how many pieces of that have been updated, getting us back to square one; except now the platform is modern and can move forward. Isn’t that what you want in the long run?

I’m a very old Apple dog, so dont expect me to learn new tricks. For pro like me its easier to pay 1000$ and jump to AVID than pay 299$ for this radiculous toy like FCPX.
For me Apple doesnt care for pros anymore. Pro/Prosumer products will be axed like FCP7 and soon Mac Pros. Apple wants to dominate the consumer world. I never imagined to see Apple as another Microsoft or Dell. It’s very sad. Bye Bye Apple after long 20 years….

Actually it is easier to continue using FCP7 making money, buy the upgrade and learn it as you continue to make money with FCP7, then you can transition some small jobs over while still making money with FCP7, and as you start using FCPX with additional features added at the request of of editors you can still make money with your old copy of FCP7 as well as FCPX.